[MrCrabby]

Can anyone tell me what i need to hook my keyboard up to my computer?
What kind of cable do i need? Do i need to get my computer worked on? Or should there be a place to plug it in?
Any and all help would be........um......helpful!
--Mark

[Nate]

It depends on what kind of ports your keyboard has, what kind of ports your computer has, and what you want to do with this "hookup".

First of all, does your keyboard have a MIDI out jack?? How about a MIDI in jack?? How about a normal 1/4" output jack??

Secondly, does your computer have a joystick port?? How about a USB port or two?? How about a 1/8" input?? How about a 1/4" input?? How about, of all the unlikely things in the world, a MIDI in jack??

Lastly, are you looking to sequence (record MIDI data)?? Record audio?? Both??

If you answer all of these questions with a simple yes or no answer, I should be able to tell you exactly what you need.

In His love,
Nate

[MrCrabby]

First of all, does your keyboard have a MIDI out jack?? How about a MIDI in jack?? How about a normal 1/4" output jack??

I have a midi in and a midi out.

Secondly, does your computer have a joystick port?? How about a USB port or two?? How about a 1/8" input?? How about a 1/4" input?? How about, of all the unlikely things in the world, a MIDI in jack??

I have 2 joystick ports, and 2 USB ports. I don't think i have either a 1/8 or 1/4 input. And no midi in jack.

Lastly, are you looking to sequence (record MIDI data)?? Record audio?? Both??

I don't know what sequencing is, so i guess i'd just be using it to record.
Thanks Nate,
mark

[Nate]

Originally posted by GzusPhreek2k
I don't know what sequencing is, so i guess i'd just be using it to record.

Do you want to be able to play something into the computer and obtain sheet music for it? Do you just want to be able to play something into the computer and be able to burn it onto a CD? Do you want to be able to make arrangements of songs? What do you want to do after you hook up your keyboard to your computer???????????

In His love,
Nate

[MrCrabby]

I would most likely be using it to record piano onto my computer, and then record guitar, and singing, and put it all together.
Sorry i'm kinda illiterate when it comes to stuff like this, lol.
-mark

[Nate]

What kind of audio outputs does your keyboard have, if any?? Does it have a 1/4" output? A 1/4" headphone jack?? A pair of 1/4" outputs?? A 1/8" headphone jack?? Etc, etc, etc. Anything and everything, please list for me.

So basically, what you want to do is record yourself playing your keyboard, then record yourself playing guitar, then record yourself singing, and then mix all of those recordings together so that you can record songs you have written or praise and worship songs that you really like????

As much as you can think to tell me would be useful at this point.

In His love,
Nate

[MrCrabby]

Ok, my keyboard (a cheap-o casio) has (in order) a power jack, a 1/8 headphone jack, a sustain pedal jack, and 2 (i'd say they're about 1/2 inch) midi in and out jacks that have 5 small slots in them. (i tried to find a picture of the back of the keyboard on the casio website, but to no avail.)

And yes, that is basically what i will be using it for.

[Nate]

Ok, it looks like you have about four options then.

1) You could go from the MIDI out jack of your keyboard into some sort of interface that would let you plug into your computer (this interface would probably cost about $50). Then, you could just use a sequencer and record the keyboard part as MIDI instead of audio. After you did that, you'd have to export the MIDI file as an audio file (in which case, you would have to use the MIDI soundbanks on your computer rather than on your keyboard) and then insert the audio file into some regular recording software, and then add the guitar and vocals on top of the exported MIDI file.

2) You could get a 1/8"-1/4" adapter and run from the headphone jack through some sort of interface that would let you plug into your computer via a USB port (this interface would cost at least $70). Then, you could just use some normal recording software and record the keyboard part as audio.

3) You could just get a 1/8"-1/8" cable and run from the headphone output of your keyboard to the mic input (if your computer has one and if it is 1/8") on your computer. Then, you could use recording program, using the mic input as the source. This recording probably would not be very high quality as the A/D converters for your mic input are probably not very good.

4) You could use your computer's microphone and simply record the output from the keyboard's speakers. This is perhaps the easiest way, but it would sound by far the worst.

I hope that all made sense.

Personally, I'd probably recommend going with option #2. Take a look at the Edirol UA-1A. I just got one, and I'm enjoying it. You might also want to get a small mixer. Behringer has a nifty looking one that would be perfect for a small setup such as yours... I think it's the UB502. You could also get a cheap mic for your vocals and guitar.

If you went this way, you could find a 1/8"stereo-dual 1/4" mono Y-cable for your keyboard, and run it to one of the two stereo pairs on the Behringer. Then, you could plug the microphone into the one microphone input on the Behringer. Then, you could get two pairs of RCA cables and run one from the mixer's tape output to the Edirol's inputs and one from the Edirol's outputs to a pair of speakers or a stereo system or something like that.

This whole setup would probably cost about $200. About $70-80 for the Edirol, $50 for the Behringer, $50-60 for the microphone, and tax.

Hope this helps.

In His love,
Nate

[MrCrabby]

Ok, that's maybe a little more than i'm looking to spend.
I may just go with option 3.
Can i get a 1/8" - 1/8" cable just anywhere?
I mean, this is just something i want to do for fun, i'm not really looking to put a whole lotta money into it, lol.
Thanks alot Nate.
-Mark

[Nate]

Originally posted by GzusPhreek2k
Can i get a 1/8" - 1/8" cable just anywhere?

Try Wal-Mart or RadioShack.

In His love,
Nate

[Nate]

Did you end up finding something that will work, Mark???

[MrCrabby]

I'll tell you when i get a chance to get out to the store, lol.
I've been working alot, and i don't drive, so i haven't gotten a chance.
Thanks,
mark